How to stay hydrated

The sun is shining and the ongoing heatwave brought record temperatures to England. Many of us are suffering from a loss of appetite, which could leave us feeling unwell during the hotter temperatures. Should we amend our food and drink habits to factor in the heat?

The most important thing you can do is to drink more water than you usually do because you are losing fluids through sweat. There are many different opinions on how much water you should be drinking every day. Health authorities commonly recommend eight 8 glasses, which equals about 2 litres of water a day. If you are outside or exercising during the heatwave drink two to four cups of water every hour. Don’t wait until you are thirsty, by then, you are already becoming dehydrated. 

Did you know that foods account for around 20-30% of our fluid intake, and there is food that contains more water than others? We should think about eating more of the following fruits and vegetables to boost the body's hydration levels and replenish lost electrolytes.

•    cucumber
•    courgettes
•    celery
•    lettuce
•    melon
•    coconut water
•    oranges
•    grapefruits
•    pineapple
•    berries
•    bananas
•    grapes
•    kiwi
•    bell peppers
•    carrots
•    tomatoes
•    radishes
•    broccoli
These hydrating fruits and vegetables are full of important electrolytes like magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium. Eating plenty of these foods will help you to maintain fluid balance.